Shank stiffener



May 19, 1925.

E. SEAVEY' smmx STIFF'ENER Filed July so. 1923 ATTORNEY Patented May 19,1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EUGENE SEAVEY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO C.V. PRODUCTSCORPORATION, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SI-IA'NK STIFFENER.

Application filed July 30, 1923. Serial No. 654,680.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EUGENE SnAvEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,have invented new and useful Improvements in Shank Stiffeners, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to shank stiffencrs and more particularly theinvention relates to shank stiffeners of the type shown in my co-pendingapplication Serial No. 596,827, filed Oct. 25, 1923.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of a shankstiffener for shoes wherein the attaching means is concealed between thewelt strips thereby giving the same a neater appearance.

A further object of the invention is to provide a shank stiffener havinga rubber tread surface adapted to be secured at the shank portion of ashoe to arrest the strain usually distributed between the ball of thefoot and the heel.

Another object of he invention is the provision of a shank stiffenerincluding attaching plates adapted to be secured between the welt stripsof a shoe, and a shank supporting block secured to the plates anddisposed exteriorly of the sole adjacent the heel of the shoe.

A still further object is to provide a shank stiffener having a non-skidyieldable tread surface which may easily be remoted when worn and a newone substituted therefor.

A still further object is to provide a shank stiffener which is simplein construction, easy to apply or remove from a shoe, cheap ofmanufacture and highly efficient for the purpose intended.

WVith these and other objects in view, the invention resides in thecertain novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, theessential features of which are hereinafter fully described in thespecification, are pointed out in the appended claims, and areillustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my device applied to a shoe.

Figure 2 is a same.

Figure 3 bottom plan view of the is a transverse sectional viewtherethrough on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a detail perspective view of 55 the attaching plate.

Figure 5 is a detail perspective the supporting member.

Figure 6 is a view showing a slight modification.

Figure 7 is a detail perspective view of the attaching plate used inthe. modification.

In my co-pending application above referred to, I have secured theattaching plate to the exterior of the sole thereby exposing the same toview. I have now devised a way of concealing the attaching plate betweenthe welt strips, this style of shank stiffener being attached to theshoe at the factory during the manufacture of the same. This is intendedto give a neater appearance to the article.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, and especially to Figures 1to 5 inclusive, the reference numeral 10 designates a shoe of the usualwell-known construction which includes a sole 11, welt strips 12, andheel 13. My improved shank stiffener 1 f has its anchorage between thewelt strips 12 at the-shank portion of the shoe, and a portion of thesame abuts the heel 13 as will now be described.

A shank stiffener 1 k includes a pair of plates 15 adapted to beinterposed between the welt strips 12 and arranged in parallel 85relation to each other. Each plate 15 is provided with a plurality ofopenings 16 for the reception of suitable fastening elements 17 forengagement with the welt strips 12. The plates 15 are formed with astruck-out portion in the nature of a longitudinal track 18. When theplates are in their respective positions upon a shoe the tracks 18 arein converging relation to each other in cross-section for a purpose tobe described. The front ends of the tracks are bevelled as at 19 so asnot to scrape the ground when the rubber support member 20 has worn downto. the tracks. The tracks 18 extend through slits 21 in the sole 11 forremovably receiving the support member 20. The member 20' is formed of ayieldable material such as rubber and has its front wall rounded as at22 so as not to present short corners which might prove uncomfortable tothe wearer while walking. The member view of to that of thepreferred 20is formed with a pair of spaced grooves 23 opening into the top of themember and arranged in converging relation to each other so as to permitthe member to be slid along the tracks 18 to a position against the heel13 as clearly shown in Figure 1 of the drawings. The tread surface ofthe support member is formed centrally with a vacuui'n cup 24: and aplug of non-sl-ip-abrasive material 25 so that a positive groundgripping surface is provided. It will be seenthat after the member 20'hasbeen slid to its=position upon the attaching-plate, the tracks andgrooves form a dovetail lock,- hen the tread surface has worn, themember 20 may be slid off the tracks and anew one sub stituted therefor,or if desired the member might be removed and left off and the tracksbent down against the sole as the plates 15 are capable of-stitteningthe shank-to a-cer tain degree. It will'also be seenthatthe usual metalplate inserted'at the shank of the shoe between the weltstrips isdispensed with when my stiffener is used.

In the formofmy invention shown-in Figures 6 and 7 the: constructionisidentical form," with the exceptioirthat-insteacl' of using'two' plates,I employ a single attaching plate 15 having upstruck tracks 18. Thisform of-p-late is secured to the outside of the soleas clearly shown inFigure 6.

While there has been shown and: described what I deem tobe the bestembodiment-of my invention, I wish-it to be understood that I'donotvlimit myself tothe precise structural detail herein exhibited and ton'othingless than the wholeof my invention limited only by the appendedclaims, and that changes, alterations andanodifications as come within.the claims may be: resorted to when desired.

lVhat is claimed-as new is: a

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a shoe'havingwelt strips; a sole and a heel, a pair o f plates having their bodyportions concealed bet-\veenthe welt strips, rails formed. on saidplates and extending exteriorly of the-sole, and a-supporting membercarried by said rails and'arranged flush with the front'of the heel andbe secu'red-andconcealed between the welt strips of a shoe, asupporting. member, and means for securing-said supporting.member tosaid plates exteriorly of the sole.

4. Inga device ofth'e class described, the

combination of a pair of-plates adapted to be secured and concealedbetween the welt strips of a shoe, a yieldablenon-skid supportingmember,and means: for rem ovablysecuring saidsupporting member to said platesexteriorly of the sole ofthe shoe.-

5.111 a device of'theclass described, the combination of a pairo-f-platesadaptedto be secured-between the welt-strips ofa shoe, ayieldable non-skid" supporting. member, with grooves formed therein,and-means for removablysecuring said yieldable supporting member to saidplate-s 'exteriorlyo f the sole, said means including'a pair ofl-ongitudinal tracks for.-co-actionwith the grooves formed v in saidsupporting .member;

6. A- shankstifiener comprising a pair of tracks, means for attaphingsaid 'traeks to the arclr'portion of a shoe, anda tread-memberhaving.grooves for co-action with said tracks for sliding movement thereon.

7 Ashank stiffener comprising.apair of parallel tracks arranged incon-verging. relation -toeach other in cross-section, means forattaching-said tracks to the arch portion of a shoe, and a rubber treadmemberhaw ing: its underside providedv with grooves for co'aetion withsaid tracks for detach-able connection therewith.

In testimony 'Whereo-i l I" have affixed my signature. V p v EUGENESEAVEY

